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North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock expected to return Sunday

Reggie Bullock, Desharick Guidry

North Carolina’s Reggie Bullock (35) drives against McNeese State’s Desharick Guidry during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. North Carolina won 97-63. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

AP

North Carolina is coming off the biggest win of the year defeating UNLV 79-73 win at home on Saturday. To start the New Year, the Tar Heels received some more good news.

Junior, Reggie Bullock, the team’s second-leading scorer, returned to full practice on Friday and is expected to play in North Carolina’s conference opener against Virginia on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Robbi Pickeral.

Bullock, the 6-foot-7 wing, has been out since suffering a mild concussion on Dec. 27, when he and teammate, James Michael McAdoo collided into each at practice.

“Reggie was able to go through about half of practice today,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said on Friday. “If he doesn’t have any headaches, or any recurrence of symptoms that they worry about (with) the concussion, I would expect him to completely practice tomorrow. And if he does the same thing after that, I would expect him to play on Sunday.

“Everybody uses this term -- ‘Cautiously optimistic’ is where we are.”

Depending on how Bullock responds following his return to the floor, Williams said Bullock could return to the starting lineup against Virginia.

The addition of Bullock is a big lift for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels open ACC play with three games - Virginia, Miami, and Florida State - in a span of a week. Bullock is coming into his own so far in his junior season, seeing career-highs in points, rebounds, and steals. He’s also connecting on 48 percent of his three’s.

Bullock is averaging 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

North Carolina and Virginia enter Sunday’s game with identical 10-3 records.

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne